Improvement in calculating-machines



N. ROWLAND.

Calculating Machine.

No. 51,972. *Patented Jany 9, 1866.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

NEVTON RO\VLAND,OF HILLTOVN, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CALCULATlNG-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 5 1,972., dated January 9, lSGG.

accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

The present invention consists in the use of a horizontal circular disk graduated upon its upper face into one hundred equal parts,numbered from l to 100, inclusive, so arranged as to be revolved at pleasure, placed and moving around within an outer stationary concentric ring, similarly graduated and numbered, but in the opposite direction to that of the disk, in combination with a horizontal revolving ring divided into one hundred equal parts, numbered bythe hundreds from 100 to 10,000, inclusive, which ring is so constructed and connected, through suitable mechanical devices, with the revolving disk that upon and for every complete revolution of the same it shall be moved one division, or one onehundredth or its circumference.

The obj eet of my improvements and the purpose for which they are vintended are the oomputation or the addition of one number to another, or of several numbers, and the peculiar manner in which the same are operated will be presently described.

My improvements are represented in accompanying plate ot' drawings, of which Figurel is a top view of my improved calculating-machine. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same with the top plate removed, and Fig. 3 a vertical sectional view in plane of -line .r x, Fig. 2.

a a in the drawings represent the outer casing or box, in which the mechanical devices constituting the machine are placed, made of any desired shape and style and having a-plate of glass, Z), for protecting the devices from corrosion or injriry.

c isa circular disk placed horizontally within the center of the box and attached to a vertical shaft, (Z, turning in bearings of the lower portion, f, of the same and extending upward through an apertureag, in the glass I),

To and upon the upper face of the circular' disk c, and either secured thereto or formed in one and the same piece therewith, is awheel, h, of smaller diameter than the disk, and having a series of teeth, Z Z Z, one hundred in number, corresponding to which and upon the portion m of the disk, outside ,of the same, one hundred equal divisions are marked and numbered from l to 100, inclusive.

a a is a circular ring, of little larger internal diameter than the diameter of the disk c, attached to or formed in one and the same piece with a square plate of metal, o, placed and secured in a horizontal position within the box, with its ring a around the disk, and in the same horizontal plane, by means of screws or any other proper devices, which ring is also divided into one hundred equal parts, and-numbered as before described for the disk, but in an opposite direction thereto.

Placed below and underneath the plate o, and moving within a circular groove or way, p, of the box a, is a horizontal ring, q, divided into one hundred equal parts, numbered by the hundreds from 100 to 10,000, and having a series of teeth, i' i', upon and around its outer edge or periphery, corresponding in number to the said divisions, which numbers, as will be presently described, are in regular succession brought to the opening s ofthe plate o.

On the ripper portion of vertical shaft (Z, and turning loosely on the same, is a short sleeve, t, on the upper end of which, and outside of the glass, is secured a crank-handle, u, and to the lower end a projecting' or radiating arm, o, bearing and moving by its outer end upon the graduated disks, and having a pointer or index, lzo, projecting therefrom in a radial line from the center ofthe sleeve.

y is a spring-pawl, hung by a pivot, z, in arm n or' sleeve in proper position to interlock with the teeth of its toothed portion of the disk.

To use the machine, first set the division of the disk marked 100 opposite to the similar-numbered division of the xed ring upon the outside of it. Next bring the index over, and so as to point to the same, and then move the index, by its handle Iu, in the direction in which the divisions of the fixed ring are numbered until it comes over the number of the same corresponding to the first number ofthe series to be added together, correspondingly revolving at thc same time the disk c by the interlocking of its spring-pawl with the teeth of the same. Then bring the index back to its original position-that is, over the one-hundredth division of the fixed ring, the spring-pawl freely passing over the toothed disk, when again move it, in asimilar manner as before described, to the division-number of' the ring corresponding to the next number of the series to be added, thus by its pawl again correspondingly revolving the disk, and so on until the entire series of the numbers to loe added are exhausted, when the sum total thereof, if equal or less than ten thousand, is indicated -in its hundreds at the opening in the plate o, as is now to' be described, and in its tens and units upon the disk by its number to the 10077 of the fixed ring; but upon each complete revolution of the graduated disk, moved as above described, or when its one hundred77 division has reached the similarmarked division of the fixed ring, the lower ring, Q, divided and numberedas specied, is then caused to b e moved within its groove one graduation, thus bringing the next number in order to the opening s by means of the following arrangement of devices, viz: d, a projecting stud or pin on lower side of circular disk, f', a spring-lever turning on afulcrum, g, extending outward under and beyond the movable ring q, and having on itsiouter' end, b, a spring-pawl, Z', engaging with the teeth of said ring. Against the inner end, m', of the springlever f the stud d of the disk as it is revolved impinges, sufficiently turning it on its fulorum as to cause the pawl to move the ring one division, when, the studleaving the'lever, it resumes its original position and the pawl interlocks with the' next tooth through the action of their respective springs, the stud being secured on the disk in the proper position to actuate the lever, as described, at or near the moment whenit has made its complete revolution.

From the above it is manifest that by my improved calculating-machine the addition of any series of numbers by simply operating the graduated disk, as described, can be readily and easily accomplished, and with the assurance of perfect accuracy -in its result as indicated by the graduated ring and disk, the advantages of which in the calculation of long rows ofiigures-such as, for instance, in the estimating of lumber-are many and veryimportant.

To reset the machine after having once been used for another calculation, first disengage the pawl from the graduated ring by turning the handle o toward the right, then by the milled head p on the shaft (j of the pinion o* interlocking with the teeth of the ring move the ring until its division markedlOO is at the opening s, after which, still holding the pawl away from the ring, bring the one-hundredth division of the circular disk opposite to the same numbered division of the fixed plate, when it is ready for use.

In the backward movement of the radiating arm used for revolving the disk, as has been hereinbefore described, in order to prevent any possibility of moving the same beyond the proper joint of the graduated plate, l have attached thereto a stop, s', which bears upon the plate and drops into a notch, t', of the saine, by which the arm is held and prevented from moving too far, as is evident without further description.

o is a spring-rod engaging with teeth of graduated ring, which is used as a check upon the spring-pawl and to prevent the ring from being moved too far.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The arrangement of the machine consisting of the revolving graduated toothed disk operated by the arm and spring-pawl, the intermediate stationary graduated annulus, and the outer graduated and revolving annular plate, upon whose face the valves of the inner revolving disk are centuplicated, as describedV and represented.

NEWTON ROVLAND. Witnesses:

Jus'rus RowLAND, WILLIAM D. ROWLAND. 

